Steam-cooker.



Patented Feb. 1, 1910. l

H. A. STODDARD.

STEAM GOOKER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZL 1909.

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HATI-IERLEY A. STODDARD, 0F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM-COOKER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed. July 24, 1909. .Serial No. 509,296.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HATHERLEY A. S'ron- Dann, of Salem, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Steam- Cookers, of which the following is aspeciiication.

rfhis invention relates to a steam-cooker and consists of an apparatusof that kind wherein provisions are made for drying steam orrevaporizing the condensed steam by means of closed metallic conduitsadapted to hold and conduct heated gases from the sources l'of heatemployed to make the steam employed, or from an independent source ofheat.

The same symbols of reference indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

Figure l represents a front elevation of an apparatus constructed inaccordance with my invention, showing the arrangement of doors for theseveral compartments. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view on theline 2-2 of Fig. l, showing the construction and arrangement of theinterior of the apparatus, the steam-forming compartment,

the superimposed cooking` compartments, and the means for drying thesteam, or revaporizmg the condensed steam by the hot gases or productsof combustion. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on line 3-3 of Fig.2, showing pipes for conducting the gases through the cookingcompartment, and the grid formed at the bottom of the severalcompartments. Fig.' et is a cross-sectional view on line teli of Fig. 2,showing the grid bottom of one of the cooking compartments resting uponthe metallic conduits, here shown as pipes. Fig. 5 is a sectional view,showing the construction for effective heat insulation.

rIhe apparatus consists of a box or casing l having its side, top andbottom walls constructed so as to prevent radiation of heat to as greata degree as possible. In some forms of the apparatus the walls may bemade of wood, and in other forms they may consist of double walls havinga heat-insulating filling, such as mineral wool or equivalent insulatingmaterial. In the embodi ment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, the box has a heat-resisting lining 2 of asbestos. In theupper part of the box or casing is aninner linin 3 of metal, preferablycopper, the space lnclosed by this metallic lining constituting thecooking chamber. At the lower chamber wardly, forming a bottom 4e, whichis open at 5, andfrom the edges of the opening are depending ribs orflanges 6. The space inclosed by the flanges 6 may be considered as theopen bottom which is reduced in area.

Below the cooking chamber is a tank 7 adapted to contain water andmounted upon a supporting frame 8, the sides of the tank 7 tting snuglyagainst the flanges 6. 'Ihis tank is partially filled with water, thelevel of which is brought above the bottom edges of the flanges 6 sothat the surface of the water is contained within the walls of thecooking chamber and is exposed within the interior thereof. Beneath thetank are heat ing means 9, ducting the combustible gas or vapor, andhaving numerous openings from which jets of flame may issue and impingeupon the bottom of the tank. The heat of the flames causes steam to begenerated from the water and to fill the cooking' chamber. Within thelatter are a number of pipes l0 having their lower or inlet-ends Ilextending through the bottom portion el. of the lining which incloscsthe cooking chamber, this inlet end being open and lying beside the tankabove the heater. These pipes pursue sinuous courses through the cookingchamber, and their outward ends 12 pass through the top wall of the boxor casing. Viithin the box each pipe passes back and forth at differentlevels, there being at each level a horizontal section of the pipe,while the sections of dierent levels are connected by upright sections10a. The horizontal portions of the several pipes constitute supportsfor shelves or racks 13 consisting of wooden slats upon which the goodslet` to be cooked, such as loaves of bread, are placed.

In one or more of the walls of the box are inlets 15 near the bottomwhich admit air for supporting thc combustion of the fuel issuing fromthe burners. This air becomes part of the cooking heated in the chamberat the bottom of the box below the tank and the bottom of the cookingchamber, and, rising with the products of combustion given olf by theflame, enters the inlets ll. of the pipes l0 and passes through thepipes, finally issuing from the outlets l2. The hot air and products ofcombustion being thus conducted by of the cooking chamber which ,arepreferably pipes conthe metallic lining is offset in-' the pipes throughall parts of the cooking l chamber, serve to maintain the temperature ofthe steam at a high enough point for cooking purposes without beingbrought into direct contact with the goods being cooked.

The particles of steam generated from the water vin the tank penetrateto all parts of the cooking chamber and carry the heat necessary forcooking into all parts ofthe chamber. The condensed steam collects uponthe walls of the lining 3 and drips back into the tank. The arrangementof the tank relative to the cooking chamber according to which thebottom of the lining 3 which incloses the cooking chamber dips into thewater in the tank, furnishes a direct connection between the tank andthe chamber, 'which conducts the steam into the latter.

In one of the side walls of the box are doors 16 hung upon hinges 17,which doors are spaced to correspond with the shelves 13 and arecoextensive with the spaces between the shelves.V These doors areindependent and give access to the goods placed on any and each shelf.The tops of these doors 16 are formed with inclined faces 16a, adaptedto engage complemental inclines 1Gb on the walls of the box (see Fig.2). Vhen the doors are made of wood escaping steam or moisture about thedoors causes them to swell and prevent further escape of steam.

ln Fig. is shown a heat-insulating construction, which may be providedin some forms of the cooker. This consists in making the box with doublesheet-iron walls a., between which is packed a layer of mineral wool c,or equivalent non-conducting material.

I claim l. A steam-cooker consisting of an inclosed cooking chamber, awater container at the bottom of said chamber adapted to hold water withthe surface thereof exposed to the interior of said chamber wherebyvapor generated from the water may enter said chamber, means for heatingsaid water, and metallic conduits arranged in said chamber for holdingand conducting heated gases through said chamber, the surface of saidconduits being adapted to receive and revaporize condensed steam and toreheat or dry uncondensed steam.

2. A steam cooker' consisting of an inclosed cooking chamber, anon-conducting lining arranged upon the walls of said chamber, a watercontainer at the bottom of said chamber adapted to hold water with thesurface thereof exposed to the interior of said chamber whereby vaporgenerated from the water may enter said chamber, means for heating saidwater, and metallic conduits arranged in said chamber for holding` and iconducting heated gases through said chamber, the surface of saidconduits being adapted to receive and revaporize condensed steam and toreheat or dry uncondensed steam.

3. A steam cooker consisting of an inclosed cooking chamber, one or moreopenings formed in the sides of said chamber, each opening beingprovided with a steam tight door, a water container at the bottom ofsaid chamber adapted to hold water with the surface thereof exposed tothe interior of said chamber whereby vapor generated from the water mayenter said chamber, means for heating said water, and metallic conduitsar anged in said chamber for holding and conducting heated gases throughsaid chamber, the surface of said conduits being adapted to receive andrevaporizcc condensed steam and tov reheat or dry uncondensed steam.

4f. A steam cooker consisting of an inclosed cooking chamber adapted tocontain the goods to be cooked, a water container at the bottom of saidchamber adapted to hold a body of water with the surface thereof exposedto the interior of the chamber, whereby steam generated from the watermay lill the chamber, a heater beneath said water container, and meansfor conducting heated air and the products of combustion from saidheater into heat-transferring relation with the steam within the cookingchamber to maintain the steam in a vaporous celulition and revaporatewater condensed therefrom.

5. A steam cooker consisting of an inclosed cooking chamber adapted tocontain the goods to be cooked, a water container at the bottom of saidchamber adapted to hold a body of water with the surface thereof exposedto the interior of the chamber, whereby steam generated from the watermay lill the chamber, a heater beneath said water container, a pipepassing in a sinuous course through the cooking chamber, portionsthereof being approximately horizontal, having an inlet located so as toreceive heated air and the products from said heater, and dischargingthe same outside of the chamber, and shelves for holding the goods to becooked supported by the horizontal portions of said pipes.

A steam cooker' consisting of a cooking chamber having an opening in itsbottom surrounded by a depending flange or lip, a tank adapted tocontain water located beneath said chamber and inclosing said dcpendingfiange or lip so that the latter may dip into the water containedtherein, and a heater below the tank.

7. A steam cooker consisting of a box, a lining contained in the upperpart of said box and terminating in an open contracted portion above thebottom of the box, the space inclosed by said lining constituting acooking chamber, a tank adapted to contain water arranged in the boxbelow the lining so that the edges thereof are inclosed by the walls ofthe tank and extend below lOO Maia@ the normal level of water in theheater beneath the tank.

8. A steam cooker consisting of a box, a lining contained in the upperpart of said box and terminating in an open contracted portion above thebottom of the box, the space inclosed by said lining constituting acooking chamber, a tank adapted to contain water arranged in the boxbelow the lining so that the edges thereof are nclosed by the walls ofthe tank and extend below the normal level of water in the tank, aheater beneath the tank, and a pipe extending' from the space below thecooking chamber, through the same in a sinuous path, and out through thetop thereof, for conducting the gases and air heated by the heater'through the chamber out of direct contact with the contents thereof.

9. A steam cooker consisting of a box, a lining contained in the upperpart of said box and terminating in an open contracted portion above thebottom of the box, the space inclosed by said lining constituting acooking chamber, a tank adapted to contain water arranged in the boxbelow the lining so that the edges thereof are inclosed by the walls ofthe tank and extend below the normal level of water in the tank, aheater beneath the tank, a pipe extending from the space below thecooking chamber, through the same in a sinuous path, and out through thetop thereof, for conducting the gases tank, and a and air heated by theheater through the chamber out of direct contact with the contentsthereof, and shelves or racks for holding the goods to be cooked,supported on horizontal lengths of said pipe.

l0. A steam cooker consisting of a box, a lining contained in the upperpart of said box and terminating' in an open contracted portion abovethe bottom of the box, the space inclosed by said lining constituting acooking chamber, a tank adapted to contain water arranged in the boxbelow the lining so that the edges thereof are inclosed by the walls ofthe tank and extend below the normal level of water in the tank, aheater' beneath the tank, a pipe extending from the space below thecooking chamber, through the same 1n a sinuous path, and out through thetop thereof, for conducting the gases and air heated by the heaterthrough the chamber out of direct contact with the content-s thereof,shelves or racks for holding the goods to be cooked, supported onhorizontal lengths of said pipe, and doors in one of the side walls ofthe box coextensive with the spaces between adjacent shelves.

ln testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

HATHERLEY A. sroDDARD. [1.. 5.]

liVitnesses ALBERT I. RIGHARDsoN, ANNIE M. ALLIs.

